1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an opening portion structure in which an opening portion is provided between edge portions of an outer panel and an inner panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an opening portion structure in which an opening portion is provided between edge portions of an outer panel and an inner panel, for example, a structure of a door waist portion is conceivable. In the door waist portion, the opening portion is provided between upper edge portions of a door outer panel and a door inner panel. In the opening portion, an elongated opening extended along the upper edge portions of both of the panels is formed, and a door glass is adapted to move up and down in the opening. The opening is provided over a substantially overall width of both of the panels. Accordingly, rigidity of the opening portion in a direction where the door outer panel and the door inner panel come close to or separate from each other, that is, in a direction perpendicular to longitudinal and depth directions of the opening (hereinafter, referred to as an opposing direction) is decreased. Then, air tightness and glass retention between a waist weatherstrip provided on a peripheral edge of the opening and the door glass which moves up and down in the opening are decreased. In order to prevent such a decrease, it is necessary to increase the rigidity of the opening portion.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-154322 discloses a structure of a door waist portion, in which an outer waist reinforcement and an inner waist reinforcement are attached onto upper inner surfaces of the door outer panel and the door inner panel, respectively, and the upper inner surfaces are thereby reinforced. Furthermore, in this structure, terminal end portions of the outer waist reinforcement and the inner waist reinforcement are coupled to each other with a support member interposed therebetween. According to this structure, since the terminal end portions of the outer waist reinforcement and the inner waist reinforcement are coupled to each other with the support member interposed therebetween, the rigidities of the upper portion of the door outer panel and the upper portion of the door inner panel in the opposing direction are enhanced.